Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
Verba Ecclesiastæ, filii David, regis Jerusalem.
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
[Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes; vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.
3 What does man gain from all his labour in which he labours under the sun?
Quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo quo laborat sub sole?]
4 One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
[Generatio præterit, et generatio advenit; terra autem in æternum stat.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
Oritur sol et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur; ibique renascens,
6 The wind goes towards the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
gyrat per meridiem, et flectitur ad aquilonem. Lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
Omnia flumina intrant in mare, et mare non redundat; ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant.
8 All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Cunctæ res difficiles; non potest eas homo explicare sermone. Non saturatur oculus visu, nec auris auditu impletur.
9 That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
Quid est quod fuit? Ipsum quod futurum est. Quid est quod factum est? Ipsum quod faciendum est.
10 Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
Nihil sub sole novum, nec valet quisquam dicere: Ecce hoc recens est: jam enim præcessit in sæculis quæ fuerunt ante nos.
11 There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, amongst those that shall come after.
Non est priorum memoria; sed nec eorum quidem quæ postea futura sunt erit recordatio apud eos qui futuri sunt in novissimo.]
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
[Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israël in Jerusalem;
13 I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
et proposui in animo meo quærere et investigare sapienter de omnibus quæ fiunt sub sole. Hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum, ut occuparentur in ea.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Vidi cuncta quæ fiunt sub sole, et ecce universa vanitas et afflictio spiritus.
15 That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
Perversi difficile corriguntur, et stultorum infinitus est numerus.
16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
Locutus sum in corde meo, dicens: Ecce magnus effectus sum, et præcessi omnes sapientia qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem; et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, et didici.
17 I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
Dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam atque doctrinam, erroresque et stultitiam; et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor et afflictio spiritus:
18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio; et qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem.]
